The Marcy-Deerfield Little League “B” All-Star Baseball Tournament, a favorite in local baseball, is underway at Link Memorial Park in Marcy.

Teams from New Hartford, Whitestown, Marcy-Deerfield, Tri-County, Oriskany, North Utica and South Utica are vying for the tournament title.

The first game of the tournament featured two teams, which play their regular season games about two miles apart, Whitestown and Oriskany.

After four, scoreless innings of baseball and a pretty nifty pitcher’s duel between Whitestown’s, Tommy Morreale and Oriskany’s, CJ Jones, it was Whitestown that finally broke through with two runs in the visitor’s half of the fifth inning.

Both teams had their opportunities early in this one, but neither club could capitalize.

Oriskany’s Branden Schultz (14) connects with a 5th inning fastball.

Oriskany’s, Aiden Jones, led off the bottom of the third inning with a double and reached third on a passed ball. Morreale however, shut the door on Oriskany, fanning the next three batters to strand Jones at third, with no damage done.

Whitestown’s, Matt Kurdziolek, then led off the top of the fourth with a walk and reached third on wild pitches.

It was CJ Jones’ turn to dominate, as big #8 fanned the next three Whitestown hitters in order to end the threat.

After a scoreless bottom of the fourth, Whitestown’s, Matt Blum, was hit by a Jones offering with one away.

Morreale then stepped in and helped his own cause with a triple to right center field, scoring Blum and giving Manager, Mike Clark’s, Whitestown squad a 1-0 lead.

Morreale scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0, which is the way we would go to the home half of the fifth.

It was all Morreale in the bottom of the fifth, as #20 got Oriskany’s first three batters to ground out on just nine pitches.

Whitestown made it 4-0 in the top of the sixth. Zach Bara led off with a walk and was followed up by Whitestown’s rock solid first baseman, Matt Kurdziolek, who laced a double to the wall, scoring Bara and putting Whitestown up 3-0.

Kurdziolek moved to third on a single by Zach Shaler. Kurdziolek later scored when Shaler was caught stealing second, giving Whitestown a four run advantage and wrapping up the ball game.

Tommy Morreale picked up the win on the bump for Whitestown, going all six innings and allowing no runs and just 2 hits, striking out 6 in the winning effort.

Safe at the plate! Whitestown’s Tommy Morreale (20) slides into home for Whitestown’s 4th run as Oriskany catcher Aiden Jones (11) flips the ball to pitcher Brandon Reed (13).